Norfolk Southern and the City of Charlotte have just made an agreement for the O-Line to be used for the CATS Red Line.
For the past 20 years there’s been an ongoing stalemate between Norfolk who owns the tracks (the O-line) and Charlotte who wants to use the tracks (red line commuter rail).
The proposed Red Line project includes 10 stations where people can park and ride. The 25-mile track will run through Charlotte Gateway Station, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville.
.@nscorp spokesperson on Red Line talks: “We remain committed to balancing the interests of the communities we serve with the needs of our valued freight customers. We are engaged with the City of Charlotte on possible opportunities with this project.” https://t.co/2O33yugK2M
— Erik Spanberg (@CBJspanberg) May 30, 2024
This new agreement could rebuild trust with north Mecklenburg communities, promised passenger light rail over two decades ago.
Securing the O-Line rights could pave the way for a grander transit plan proposed by Charlotte leaders. A sales tax referendum was planned for 2023, but it passed without a vote or clear answers.
With this new agreement between Norfolk and Charlotte, we might finally see the sales tax pushed through and the Red Line finally move closer toward reality.
